Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 31: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he has taken to deliver the programme for Government commitment to bring about sustainability proofing of county development plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18108/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I refer to the reply to Question No. 81 of 11 March 2009. Development plans provide the over-arching strategic framework for development within their areas. As such, the development plan must offer clear guidance on sustainable development policies and objectives, both national and local, which address the full range of sustainability issues such as climate change, waste management, transport, urban development, sustainable communities and the use of natural resources.

In June 2007, my Department published Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Development Plans. The Guidelines state that it is imperative that the objectives and strategies set out in development plans are compatible with the Government's commitment to reducing energy consumption and modifying the impacts of climate change. Development plans should be consistent with the objectives of national initiatives that will address energy and climate change issues such as the National Climate Change Strategy 2007-2012, which builds on the commitment to sustainable development set out in Towards 2016 and the National Development Plan 2007-2013.

The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) carried out as part of the development plan process should also improve the overall sustainability of plans by identifying and appraising environmental issues. In order to assist planning authorities in the SEA process, the EPA has recently produced a draft manual on Geographical Information and Strategic Environmental Assessment (GISEA) which will allow planning authorities to overlap geographical information to particular areas.

Furthermore, building on existing guidance and highlighting best practice examples of plans at different scales, my Department is also preparing new planning guidelines on local area plans. A key element of these guidelines, which will be published later this year for public consultation, is the development of a "sustainability toolkit" which will focus on practical ways in which local planning policies can bring about better energy efficiency in new developments and how best to protect and enhance habitats and biodiversity, to integrate waste management into planning new development and support more use of sustainable transport modes, including public transport, walking and cycling.